There’s little rigorous evidence on whether animals help people with autism become more sociable, or which people with the disorder might benefit the most.

Female mice of two different genetic backgrounds consistently model the behavioral features of Rett syndrome, according to a study published 9 October in Human Molecular Genetics. Although Rett syndrome presents almost entirely in girls, researchers have thus far relied mostly on male mice to model the disorder.

Two healthcare organizations have pooled their data to create a registry of 20,000 people with autism, a resource that may help speed up clinical trials and other research.

Evidence for the benefit of behavioral treatments for autism is modest at best, according to a systematic review published 1 November in Pediatrics.

A new study shows that long-term treatment with oxytocin, a hormone that typically enhances social bonds, can have unexpected consequences, says Sue Carter, a research scientist at RTI International.

Lessons learned from postmortem studies of schizophrenia are applicable to research on autism, a disorder for which brain tissue has not been as well studied, say Allison Curley and David Lewis.

Early intensive therapy may normalize the brain’s response to faces in young children with autism, according to a study published in the November issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. The results are part of a randomized, controlled trial of a treatment called the Early Start Denver Model.

Rodent and stem cell models remain challenging for developing psychiatric drugs, says Michael Ehlers, chief scientific officer of neuroscience at Pfizer.

The research and advocacy organization Autism Speaks plans to launch a nonprofit arm that will fund companies to develop treatments for the disorder, Robert Ring, head of translational research for the organization, announced yesterday at the Autism Consortium Research Symposium in Boston.

Thomas Bourgeron discovered the first rare mutation linked to non-syndromic autism, pointing to neuronal connections as prime drug targets.